Extension device for toggle switches



March 30, 1965 B. M. CRAIG EXTENSION DEVICE FOR TOGGLE SWITCHES R w w P M m 4 E s M y w m United States Patent 3,175,420 EXTENSHUN DEVICE FOR TDGGLE SWTTCHES Bnrnie M. Craig, Pasadena, Calif., assignor to (Io-Bar Enterprises, Tue, Reseda, Calif-, a corporation of California Filed May 22, 1961, Ser. No. 111,841 1 Claim. (Cl. 74-544) This invention relates to an extension device for connection to a pivoted toggle or control lever of a wall located toggle switch to facilitate operation of the switch by a small child or another who is unable to reach to the level of the switch.

Switches 01" the foregoing type have a toggle lever pivotally extending through a cover plate normally set nearly flush in a vertical wall surface. The switch is controlled by a snap action supplied to the toggle lever. The device of ll. invention may be used with switches generally having a pivotally positioned control lever including high voltage switches.

Wall switches are customarily positioned at a height of four or five feet or so above the floor at a level that makes the switch easily operable by adults. Small children in order to use the switch must pull a chair or other furniture to the switch, or have the assistance of an adult.

Extension or operating arms of various types have been proposed heretofore but such devices have for the most part been unduly complex for the simple service which they perform. Invariably the structures of the extension devices previously suggested have been rigidly connected through a pivot to the toggle lever of the wall toggle switch, with the result that damage to the switch occasionally occurs when a twisting force or a lateral force is applied to the toggle lever through the extension arm. The extension devices commonly used have been frequently objected to because of their tendency to mar the switch with which they are used, both the cover plate and the toggle lever.

The structure of the improved extension device of the invention remedies the foregoing shortcomings commonly found in extension arms. The extension device of the invention comprises a pliable, relatively nonrigid cap formed of a rubber material which is adapted to fit snugly over the toggle lever of a wall toggle switch. An elongated arm member is pivotally supported on the rubber cap, and is adapted to swing about this pivot in a plane perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the toggle switch without deforming the rubber cap; and to swing laterally of the toggle switch by deformation of the rubber cap. The cap upon application of a pulling force to the elongated arm more snugly engages the toggle lever. The rubber cap has been found to permit limited twisting of the arm member without damage to the toggle switch. Preferably, the cap before placement over the toggle switch has a cylindrical cavity. Upon installation, the wall of the cylindrical cavity of the rubber cap deforms to conform substantially to the cross section of the toggle lever, thus providing a snug fit between the toggle lever and the rubber cap.

These and other advantages of the structure of the invention will become more apparent in view of the following specification and drawing wherein:

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of the extension device positioned on a toggle lever of a toggle switch located in a wall;

FIG. 2 is a partial sectional View of the extension device;

FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view taken along line 33 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is an end view of the device taken generally from the site of line 44 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of an extension arm of the extension device taken along line 55 of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 6-6 of FIG. 3.

With reference to the drawing, there is illustrated an extension device 10 attached to a toggle lever 12 of a wall toggle swtich 14 set in a vertical wall 16. The extension device 10 comprises a relatively nonrigid cap member 18 that is pivotally held to an elongated arm member 20. The arm member 20 is preferably formed of a moldable plastic, and is provided at one end with a figure 24 which may be of interest to a child. The cross section of the arm member 26 is best shown in FIG. 5 where it is seen to be reinforced at its outer ends by an increase of thickness. The arm member 20 at its end opposite the figure 24 is bifurcated to provide two, spaced, parallel arms 26 and 28, each of which carries on its inner face an inwardly projecting pivot boss 39 and 32, respectively. The two pivot bosses 30 and 32 are coaxial.

The rubber cap 18 of the extension device 10 of the invention may be made of natural rubber, synthetic rubber or other elastic material having the general pliable nonrigid characteristics commonly associated with natural rubber. The term rubber is used herein to include both synthetic and natural elastic materials. The cap 18 is provided with a cavity 34 which preferably is cylindrical. With installation of the cap 18 over the toggle lever 12, the cavity 34 has its wall deformed to conform substantially to the cross section of the toggle lever and if necessary will circumferentially elongate to accept a larger lever. The deformation and elongation, as will be seen in FIG. 6, results in a snug fit between the toggle lever 12 and cap 18. The cap 18 is preferably provided with a cylindrical outer wall having at one end away from the cavity 34, two aligned holes into which the pivot bosses 30 and 32 fit to provide a pivot mounting for the arm member 26. Toggle levers of different switches generally have similar configurations and a rubber cap 18 of one size will by deflection and elongation accommodate a wide range of toggle levers. The cap 18 permits twisting of the arm member 20 without damage to the toggle switch, and being made of rubber it guards against marring the swtich. The design of the extension device of the invention, as shown in phantom lines of FIG. 1 permits pivoting of the arm member 20 upwardly to lean against the wall above the switch, placing the extension device out of the reach of the child when desired.

The rubber cap 18 will more snugly engage the toggle lever with application of a pulling or twisting force to the elongated arm member 20.

Although an exemplary embodiment of the invention has been disclosed herein for purposes of illustration, it will be understood that various changes, modifications, and substitutions may be incorporated in such embodiment without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined by the claim which follows.

I claim:

An operating device for a toggle lever of a toggle switch comprising:

a pliable, relatively nonrigid cap formed of a rubber material and comprising a first section containing a cylindrical cavity and a second section integral with said first section and having a solid cross section, said cylindrical cavity of the first section being adapted to snugly engage the toggle lever, said snug engagement providing the sole means for retaining the rubber cap to the toggle lever; and

an elongated arm member pivotally held to the second section of the cap, said cap more snugly engaging the toggle lever with application of a pulling force to said elongated arm member and said rubber cap permit- 3 ting limited twisting by the arm member without 2,666,340 damage to the toggle switch. 2,692,932 2,7128% References Cited by the Examiner 2,726,303 UNITED STATES PATENTS 5 333 2 1,370,730 3/21 Carver 74-563 g fi 1,487,276 3/24 Schwengel. 2,539,386 l/51 Albert 74566 X 2,574,423 11/51 Sweeney.

Hunt 74-551.9 Parke et a1 74-544 X Allen.

Berndsen 74503 X Koch 287-53 Proland.

Sanders et a1.

BRGUGHTON G. DURHAM, Primary Examiner. 

